Supporting Music

Salvat Foundation plays an important role as patron to three music initiatives: the choir of Barcelona University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science; the Gran Teatre del Liceu opera house, on whose board of patrons it sits; and BZM Foundation – Bach Zum Mitsingen, with Salvat Foundation’s Bach grant.

Choir of Barcelona University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science

logo el cor de la facultat de farmàcia Set up in 1994, this choir is made up of students, lecturers, ex-students and other faculty members. As well as participating in the faculty’s own events, the choir participates in festivals and other activities organised around the city.

The choir’s repertoire spans from Renaissance to contemporary music, ranging from popular music from around the world to jazz and gospel.

Cor de la Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l’Alimentació de la UB

The choir celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2004, thanks to Salvat Foundation’s support. This enabled the choir to start a new phase, widening its repertoire and constantly improving its output. In 2012, the choir and the Foundation signed a new agreement that has led to a decisive increase in the choir’s activities.

www.ub.edu/portal/web/farmacia/coral

BZM Foundation – Bach Zum Mitsingen

BZM was founded in 2011 by its current directors, Pau Jorquera and Daniel Tarrida. Its aim is the popularisation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s music.

Every year, BZM holds a complete cycle of Bach’s Cantatas, performed by experienced professional choir singers. The project stands out for respecting the liturgical dates Bach wrote each piece for, as well as using Baroque instruments and respecting historical criteria. The performances are carried out in emblematic churches, such as the basilica of Santa María del Mar or Girona cathedral, and as part of the Toulouse Bach Festival or BACHCELONA Festival.

Its main structure includes the BZM chamber choir and the BZM Ensemble, which accompanies all the cantatas with baroque instruments.

In 2014, thanks to Salvat Foundation’s patronage, the Bach grant was set up. Its aim is to help the training and promotion of young solo artists around J.S. Bach’s vocal music, focusing its activity in the cantatas for soloists.

Every year, the Foundation awards grants to four soloists (soprano, contralto, tenor and baritone-bass). Salvat Foundation’s Bach grant provides singers with economic funds, as well as being linked to various concerts throughout the year, mainly in Barcelona. It also offers masterclasses with renowned musicians such as Carlos Mena, Catherine Fuge or Miriam Feuersinger, among others. In 2016, German tenor Benjamin Bruns gave an exclusive masterclass for grant holders.

All concerts are accompanied by the BZM Ensemble, formed by musicians with long careers performing with Baroque instruments, following historical criteria.

List of previous recipients of Salvat Foundation’s Bach grant

www.fundaciobzm.com

Salvat Ensemble Orchestra

The Salvat Ensemble Orchestra was founded in May 2018. The idea originated from its current director, Ahmet Süleyman Bilgin, and the president of the choir of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Pere Gomis. Although initially intended as a high-quality orchestra that would accompany the choir when needed, the Salvat Ensemble has widened its cope and begun developing artistic activity of its own, making a space for itself in the music world. Its professional musicians have long careers in chamber ensembles and orchestras, both in Spain and internationally. Thanks to this careful selection, the Salvat Ensemble stands out for its interpretative maturity.

In the short time since its foundation, the orchestra has interpreted a wide repertoire, ranging from baroque to romanticism, including orchestral works, works for choir and orchestra and works for instrumental or vocal soloists. The orchestra has performed world-known works such as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Purcell’s baroque opera Dido & Aeneas or Mozart’s Requiem, among many others. One of its most significant performances was on 15^th October 2019 in Santa María Reina church in the Pedralbes (Barcelona), where the orchestra interpreted Mozart’s Requiem alongside other chosen pieces. This concert was held as a tribute to Elvira María Teresa Musso, who passed away on 8^th March 2019 after a long career as president of Salvat Pharmaceuticals.

The Salvat Ensemble’s aim is to reinterpret the orchestral repertoire, as well as maintain a clear commitment to the authenticity of historical criteria and a firm determination to bring the beauty of classical music closer to the general public.

Concerts

Closing Festival BACHCELONA

Closing of the BACHCELONA Festival with Elionor Martínez and the string octet of the Orquesta del Gran Teatre del Liceu
Gardens of Sant Pau modernist enclosure
16th July 2020

Händel for Christmas

Salvat Foundation fundraiser
Auditori MGS
17th December 2019

Elvira María Teresa Musso Borrás tribute concert

Santa María Reina church in Pedralbes
15th October 2019

Caminar amb el vent (2018) – Ahmet Suleyman Bilgin
Good night dear heart (2016) – Dan Forrest
Northern Ligths (Pulchra es) (2008) – Ola Gjeilo
Requiem in D minor K 626 (1791) – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ave verum K618 (1791) – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart